After several lineup changes, the band acquired Billy Hamilton, a local fan who learned of the band's need for a bassist on the Internet message board "The 905 Board" (an Ontario area outreach board which used to be for local musicians). In Christmas of 2001, he joined the band after Shane Told helped him learn the music for the songs. Following a rehearsal on Boxing Day (December 26) in 2001, he officially debuted with Silverstein. The next spring, original guitarist Richard McWalter left the band to move to Victoria, British Columbia to study engineering. He was then replaced by Neil Boshart, childhood friend of Shane Told. The new lineup recorded a second EP, When the Shadows Beam, in preparation for their first tour in Eastern Canada.
The band then signed to Victory Records in October of 2002 with a complete lineup as Hamilton attempted to complete his secondary education one semester early. The January after, the band recorded their full-length debut CD When Broken Is Easily Fixed, released on the Victory Records label.
In August 2005 the band's second studio album, Discovering the Waterfront, was released through Victory Records. It was the first album to be produced by Cameron Webb, and marked the beginning of a long relationship between the band and the American producer. It also marked a shift in sound from When Broken Is Easily Fixed, with faster paced and more energetic songs, and with the band also incorporating more punk rock aspects into their music. Told's clean and unclean vocals had matured since their previous effort. Discovering The Waterfront opened the band up to a wider audience, with the music video for the first single "Smile in Your Sleep" receiving airplay on stations such as FUSE and IMF. The album sold 26,229 copies in its first week.
The band's third full-length album, Arrivals And Departures, was released on July 3, 2007, and was designated by AP Magazine as one of the most eagerly anticipated CDs of 2007. Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182, Finch) produced the CD. The album sold 27,000 copies in its first week. Silverstein also contributed a new acoustic version of their song "Red Light Pledge" to the Punk Goes Acoustic 2 compilation, released May 8, 2007 through Fearless Records.
On December 14, 2008, the band announced by Myspace bulletin that their fourth album would be released by March 31, 2009. The name of the new album, A Shipwreck in the Sand, was announced on January 29, 2009, when the band concluded a viral marketing campaign by announcing the track listing via an album website, also revealing it would be a concept album. Along with the demo of "Broken Stars", which the band had been performing during their final U.S. tour in support of "Arrivals and Departures", short clips of the songs "Vices", "Born Dead" and "American Dream" were made available on MySpace On March 17, the band filmed a music video for "Vices" with director Robby Starbuck. Later, on March 23, 2009, the band posted the full album to stream on their official MySpace page.
A Shipwreck in the Sand was released on March 31, 2009 and sold nearly 17,000 copies in its first week. The iTunes version of the album includes four bonus cover songs, "Help!" (The Beatles cover), Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac Cover), Three Miles Down (Saves The Day cover), and Total Bummer (NOFX cover).
Silverstein contributed a cover version of "Apologize", originally recorded by OneRepublic, to the Punk Goes Pop 2 compilation album.
On October 8, 2010, online rumors spread about their new album reportedly being titled Set This All Ablaze, and that it would again be released through Silverstein's long time label, Victory Records. The band later rejected the rumor that the new album will be titled Set This All Ablaze, although they did confirm their departure from Victory. However, as of the first week of October 2010, Silverstein's official website contained a banner stating Set This All Ablaze.
On November 15, Silverstein announced on Facebook that they have signed with Hopeless Records in the USA/Europe/Japan and with Universal Music in Canada. They also said that a new EP entitled Transitions will be released December 7 and will feature two songs from their new album coming out next year as well as three additional b-sides. In response to a fan on Tumblr, Shane Told described the new music as "a cross between Discovering the Waterfront and A Shipwreck in the Sand". On December 3, 2010, the band posted the first single, Sacrifice, off of the new EP. On February 9, 2011, Silverstein confirmed on their Facebook and Tumblr that their new album will be called Rescue. On February 15, 2011, the band posted the album artwork for Rescue on their official Facebook page. On February 19, 2011, 89X Radio aired a new song from the band named "Burning Hearts". On February 22, 2011, in response to a fan on Facebook, the band stated that they were not releasing a traditional lead single from the new album, and that they had made three music videos so far. They then went on to state that the new record has "tons of screaming and breakdowns". The album, Rescue, was released on April 26, 2011. Silverstein has also recorded a song featuring Ryan Key of Yellowcard called "Stay Posi" (Stay Positive) for the Take Action! Vol 10. Compilation.
On October 17, 2011, the band posted a new video on their YouTube channel about an upcoming release. They announced that are in process of recording a new album called Short Songs with producer Jordan Valeriote, scheduled for release on February 7, 2012. They also said that the EP will contain 22 songs under 90 seconds with half songs being covers of punk songs that influenced them. Silverstein contributed a cover version of "Runaway", originally recorded by Kanye West, to the Punk Goes Pop 4 compilation album, released in November 21, 2011. On December 1, 2011, the band streamed two songs off Short Songs, "SOS" and "Brookfield", as well as their covers of Green Day's "The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink" and NOFX's "It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite" on PunkNews.
On the SHORT TOUR, the band began announcing that they would have a new album in 2013. On September 25, 2012, the band announced that Neil Boshart was no longer a member of the band, after 11 years together. He was replaced by former I Am Committing A Sin guitarist Paul Marc Rousseau. Told later revealed that Boshart's replacement was due to many years of growing apart, stating there was very little contribution to Short Songs from Boshart.
On November 26, 2012, the band announced that their seventh studio album would be titled This Is How the Wind Shifts and would be released on February 5, 2013. A few hours later they also released the first single, titled "Stand Amid The Roar". On January 15, 2013 the band released the lyric video for the song "Massachusetts" from their seventh album.
The band's eighth studio album I Am Alive In Everything I Touch was released on May 19, 2015. Coinciding with the album's announcement, Silverstein released a music video for the track "A Midwestern State of Emergency." On March 4 the band released the second single from the album, Milestone, with a lyric video to accompany the release. On March 16, 2016, Silverstein released the third music video from the album, "The Continual Condition." Later, on July 27, 2016, they released a music video for "Toronto (Unabridged)".
On October 13, 2016, Silverstein announced the streaming "Ghost" on SiriusXM. Later that day, they released the music video on YouTube and the song on iTunes. Silverstein said on social media that the upcoming studio album will be released in 2017. On Thursday, May 18, 2017, Silverstein released the second single from the record, "Retrograde", as well as announced the track listing and title of the record, "Dead Reflection", which was released on July 14, 2017. Dead Reflection was released worldwide on July 14, 2017.
Toronto
Silverstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long ago it used to help me grow
Always kept me feeling safe from coast to coast
Lock the gates at night and don't set my place
I won't be back to see how the snow covers leaves
I counted down the hours until I found a shortcut home to you
But I'm just passing through
I'm back in Toronto, but just until tomorrow
That's when the bleeding stops again
Put off all the feelings, forget all the meanings
Just let it cycle through my head
We're spinning again, the sinning is innocent
Until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again
You kicked and screamed until you met your defeat
And slammed the door behind me, where you stood for weeks
I spent all night pretending I was alright
I justified, I planned, but I know deep inside
I can't withstand temptation by your hand
I'm back in Toronto, but just until tomorrow
That's when the bleeding stops again
Put off all the feelings, forget all the meanings
Just let it cycle through my head
We're spinning again, the sinning is innocent
Until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again
Back home, Liberty, cutting through the park
I see everything has changed except for me
This place is called home but I've never been so scared
To face the cold, breathe in the truth from the air
This place is called home, but from Kensington to Dee's
Everything I pass it plants a seed
And it takes me back to a time when all I had
Was a cloud over my head, weights on my feet
This place is called home but it's not where I will stay
It's all temporary, I know I'll never move away
But I know this city will always feel strange
This city is a stranger to me
The song Toronto by Silverstein explores the complexities of coming home to a place that used to be familiar and comforting, but now feels foreign and unsettling. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer muses on the idea of returning to a place they hate, yet once found solace in. The mention of the gates being locked at night suggests a level of fear or mistrust, while the use of the word "shortcut" implies a desire to escape as quickly as possible.
The second stanza delves deeper into the singer's feelings of discomfort, as they confront the reality of the situation - the bleeding won't stop until they leave again. They try to ignore their emotions and forget the past, but the cycle of returning to Toronto and repeating old mistakes persists. The line "the sinning is innocent, until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again" captures the sense of guilt or shame that comes with falling into familiar, destructive patterns.
The final stanza is perhaps the most poignant, as the singer reflects on how much they've changed since leaving Toronto. While the physical landscape has transformed (seen in the mention of Liberty and Kensington), the singer feels like they themselves have not grown or evolved. They are still burdened by their past, and the familiar sights and sounds of the city only serve to remind them of this. Toronto is a stranger to them now, and they to it.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I have to go back to the place I hate the most
Returning to the place where I have negative emotions is necessary for me.
Long ago it used to help me grow
In the past, this place helped me mature and develop.
Always kept me feeling safe from coast to coast
When moving around the country, this place provided a sense of security and comfort.
Lock the gates at night and don't set my place
I don't want visitors, secure my home and don't leave it unlocked.
I won't be back to see how the snow covers leaves
I won't come back to see any changes or natural occurrences.
I counted down the hours until I found a shortcut home to you
I eagerly anticipated getting back to you and took a quick route.
But I'm just passing through
I'm only briefly stopping here on my way to another destination.
Barely a guest, a stranger in my own home
Despite being in my own place, I don't feel comfortable and feel like an outsider.
I'm back in Toronto, but just until tomorrow
I'm in Toronto for a very short time and will be leaving soon.
That's when the bleeding stops again
Once I leave Toronto, the emotional pain and suffering will subside.
Put off all the feelings, forget all the meanings
I'm avoiding and ignoring all of the emotions and reasons for being in Toronto.
Just let it cycle through my head
I'm letting my thoughts and emotions run through my mind without actively engaging with them.
We're spinning again, the sinning is innocent
We're repeating our destructive behaviour, but it feels less impactful and wrong this time.
Until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again
We'll keep making the same mistakes and end up returning to Toronto in the future.
You kicked and screamed until you met your defeat
You resisted but eventually surrendered and let me leave.
And slammed the door behind me, where you stood for weeks
You shut the door and remained in one spot, unable to move on.
I spent all night pretending I was alright
I lied to myself and pretended I wasn't affected by what happened.
I justified, I planned, but I know deep inside
I tried to rationalize and make excuses, but I was aware of the truth.
I can't withstand temptation by your hand
I can't resist the lure of being with you.
Back home, Liberty, cutting through the park
I'm in my neighbourhood, walking through a park on Liberty Street.
I see everything has changed except for me
Although everything around me is different, I'm still the same person.
This place is called home but I've never been so scared
I'm afraid of this place, even though it's supposed to be my home.
To face the cold, breathe in the truth from the air
Confronting reality is difficult and painful, but necessary.
Everything I pass it plants a seed
Each thing I see or experience has a lasting impact on me in some way.
And it takes me back to a time when all I had
I'm transported to a time in the past when things were different.
Was a cloud over my head, weights on my feet
I felt weighed down and burdened by emotions and circumstances.
This place is called home but it's not where I will stay
Although it's called home, I won't remain here forever.
It's all temporary, I know I'll never move away
I realize that nothing is permanent and that I'll eventually leave.
But I know this city will always feel strange
No matter how long I live here, this city will never feel familiar or comfortable.
This city is a stranger to me
I don't feel like I belong in this city or connect with it on a deep level.
Contributed by Violet B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fernandez Martin
You know I have to go back to the place I hate the most.
Long ago it used to help me grow,
Always kept me feeling safe from coast to coast.
Lock the gates at night and don’t set my place,
I won’t be back to see how the snow covers leaves.
I counted down the hours until I found a shortcut home to you,
But I’m just passing through,
Barely a guest, a stranger in my own home.
I'm back in Toronto, but just til tomorrow,
That's when the bleeding stops again.
Put off all the feelings, forget all the meanings,
Just let it cycle through my head.
We’re spinning again, the sinning is innocent,
Until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again.
You kicked and screamed until you met your defeat
And slammed the door behind me, where you stood for weeks.
I spent all night pretending I was alright,
I justified, I planned, but I know deep inside
I can’t withstand temptation by your hand.
I'm back in Toronto, but just til tomorrow,
That's when the bleeding stops again.
Put off all the feelings, forget all the meanings,
Just let it cycle through my head.
We’re spinning again, the sinning is innocent,
Until we realize that we're back in Toronto once again.
Back home, Liberty, cutting through the park
I see everything has changed except for me.
This place is called home but I’ve never been so scared
To face the cold, breathe in the truth from the air.
This place is called home, but from Kensington to Dee’s,
Everything I pass it plants a seed.
And it takes me back to a time when all I had
Was a cloud over my head, weights on my feet.
This place is called home but it’s not where I will stay,
It’s all temporary, I know I’ll never move away,
But I know this city will always feel strange,
This city is a stranger to me.
Oh its Mike
Holy shit balls. Shane has definitely been working on his singing. He sounded amazing on every track, and every track was better than the last...not sure what my favorite is yet besides all of them. 9.5/10
Tyler Reece
forever and always I will love this band from the beginning till the future.
Katja H
Tyler Reece +1
Logan Sorensen
I see what ya did there 😃
German Resendiz
Tyler Reece pun intended lol nice xD
Jebber Gaming Jaws
Yes 👍
Irrenoid
This makes me want to throw on my long coat and take a train ride in Toronto while watching the world pass me by. Classic and timeless song; I have so many memories attached to it.
Karol
OMG WHAT A PERFECT ALBUM. I LOVE IT
Jem
This is the song that got me into Silverstein, and a lot of their material is different (in a good way) but I would not mind if they just put out an album full of these acoustic/midwest emo inspired tracks. This is probably one of my favorites ever. Thanks.
dfgdfb sdfvv
full acoustic album would be nuts with full band 2 on some tracks